Cover Released Notes October 15, 1981: DVD. The Devil and Max Devlin is a 1981 American fantasy–comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions, directed by Steven Hilliard Stern and starring Elliott Gould, Bill Cosby and Susan Anspach. In the 1930s, a tomboy runs away from her guardian to join her single father who is 2,000 miles away, where he has found work. [6] To date, neither the two singles nor the film's underscore have received any kind of release on CD, but Julie Budd rerecorded the latter song for a 2005 album called The New Classics. Max accepts, and returns to earth, equipped with special powers. "[10] Sheila Benson of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Somewhere inside 'The Devil and Max Devlin' (citywide), a lively, well-thought-out script (by Mary Rogers) struggles against layers of Disneyfication ... Cosby, in an unsympathetic first for him, has nothing which stretches either his comedic or his acting gifts. The Devil and Max Devlin is a 1981 American fantasy – comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions, directed by Steven Hilliard Stern and starring Elliott Gould, Bill Cosby and Susan Anspach. [4] Studio head Ron W. Miller hired Mary Rodgers to rewrite it based on the fact that Freaky Friday (1976), whose screenplay she adapted from her own novel, had been one of the studio's biggest hits of a decade for which profitable and critically well-received new films were few and far between for them. Title: Soon Max realizes that there still may be good in him. The film was considered to be controversial for a Disney film at the time because of the subject matter and the fact that Bill Cosby was featured as a character of evil. Knowing he is already condemned, Max throws the papers into a nearby fire, but he is quickly returned to life. The Devil and Max Devlin When ruthless landlord Max Devlin is struck by a bus, he meets a diabolical "soul manager" with an offer he can't refuse. Cartoonist Woody becomes the superhero he draws. "Film Reviews: The Devil And Max Devlin". Coincidentally, that film's plot line was also related to religion. The film was considered to be controversial for a Disney film at the time, partly because of the subject matter, but also because of Bill Cosby's atypical portrayal of a villainous character. Elliott Gould's good-for-nothing landlord is unconvincing as both a bad guy and a converted good guy, and Bill Cosby once again proves himself unable to play anyone but Bill Cosby, with a turn as the dark lord Satan. Shop The Devil and Max Devlin [DVD] [1981] at Best Buy. I remember seeing this movie as a kid and loving it. Max begins to care for all three of his subjects and discovers his innate decency. Though Jimmy Sangster received on-screen credit for the film's story but not the screenplay, he said of the experience: "My only consolation in the affair (apart from the money) was the fact that I got to share a screen credit with the daughter of Richard Rodgers ... that's the Richard Rodgers who wrote all the great musicals. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or in-store pick-up. Anti-censorship campaigner Liam T. Sanford wrote a letter to the police watch committee about the film just to make a point about their criteria for pulling films, and they actually pulled it. However his task is harder than expected, especially when 7 years old Tobi demands that he marry his mother. While running to escape his angry tenants after one of them blurts out that he owns the building, Max is killed by a bus and descends into hell, which resembles a corporate headquarters. THE DEVIL AND MAX DEVLIN (1981) Finally, a movie that truly sounds like it hails from the 1980s: Steven Hilliard Stern’s soul-stealing comedy The Devil and Max Devlin. But the devil Barney makes him an offer: if he manages to get three innocent youths to sell him their souls in the next two months, he may stay on earth. In order to return to life on Earth, Max Devlin must convince three people to sign their souls over to the devil in two months. View production, box office, & company info. This was the second of two films Elliott Gould made for Disney after The Last Flight of Noah's Ark. Price Match Guarantee. Believing himself still damned, Max leaves his wedding reception to say goodbye to Nerve and Stella, and finds that their personalities have returned to normal. In a riotous race against time, all … Alive again, Max begins his frantic quest, and Barney, whom only Max can see, appears frequently to check on Max's progress – and to taunt him. This persuaded Disney to delve further into the idea of creating other labels to handle such family-unfriendly material, though it would be another three years before that actually happened. It was also not a sizable moneymaker for the studio; it came in 45th place in the yearly U.S. box office race with a $16,000,000 gross,[14] but an August 1981 article in the New York Times quoted Ron W. Miller as saying that it lost money. Max accepts, and returns to earth, equipped with special powers. I was really intrigued by Julie Budd after this film who more than resembled a young Barbra Streisand in both looks and talent. Max is a shady landlord who dies and goes to hell where the Devil (Bill Cosby) makes him a deal. Let’s get going. Written by Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or in-store pick-up. But the devil Barney makes him an offer: if he manages to get three innocent youths to sell him their souls in the next two months, he may stay on earth. However, his task is harder than expected, especially when 7 years old Tobi demands that he marry his mother. VHS. In a riotous race against time, all … Gould praised this film in interviews as the finest he ever did (along with the other Disney film The Last Flight of Noah's Ark). Add the first question. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Unfinished Films: Where Can I Buy My Ticket? Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote that the film "is neither the worst nor, certainly, the best of the lot. The other half of the title of The Devil And Max Devlin is played by Elliott Gould who is destined for the lower depths after falling into a manhole unless he agrees to get three innocents to pledge their souls. While running to escape his angry tenants after one of them blurts out that he owns the building, Max is killed by a bus and descends into hell, which resembles a corporate headquarters. The basic plot has Elliot Gould's character signing a pact with the Devil (Bill Cosby)to recruit three good souls and thus saving his own from eternal damnation. First released on videocassette in the U.S. in late 1981 and then discontinued for years in spite of Bill Cosby's renewed TV popularity because of The Cosby Show (which started its eight-year run in 1984, the same year Elliott Gould's sitcom E/R came and went), Anchor Bay Entertainment released the film on DVD in November 2000, and Walt Disney Home Entertainment re-released it on DVD in 2006. Legend: 1985 Tim Curry: Darkness In which Satan is represented by the Lord of Darkness, who threatens to destroy all mankind and enter the Earth into an eternal Ice Age. I miss these dark days of Disney. Does Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Peacock, and 50+ streaming services have The Devil and Max Devlin (1981)? 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